Douye Diri, the governor of Bayelsa State, has formally left the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and joined the All Progressives Congress (APC).
According to Channels TV, Vice President Kashim Shettima brought important APC members to Yenagoa for the governor’s ceremonial welcome ceremony.
Godswill Akpabio, the President of the Senate, Dapo Abiodun, the Governor of Ogun State, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, the Governor of Ondo State, Sheriff Oborevwori, the Governor of Delta State, Hope Uzodimma, the Governor of Imo State, and Umo Eno, the Governor of Akwa Ibom State, were also there.
People who supported the party flooded the room, waving flags and screaming slogans to celebrate Diri’s joining.
The event signals a big change in Bayelsa’s politics, which has traditionally been a stronghold of the PDP.
Diri’s switch comes at a time when several well-known politicians are leaving the PDP for the APC in preparation for the 2027 elections.
The PDP has lost at least four sitting governors this year: Oborevwori in Delta, Eno in Akwa Ibom, Diri in Bayelsa, and Peter Mbah in Enugu.
On October 15, Diri quit the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Diri said he made his choice after a lot of talks with others. He announced it at the Executive Council Chamber of the Bayelsa Government House.
“After a lot of talks, I, Governor Douye Diri, want to let you know that I am resigning from the Peoples Democratic Party today, October 15, 2025, in accordance with the rules that are in place,” he said.
Diri didn’t say right away which party he would join, even though he gave “obvious reasons” for his choice. Diri also said that all of the state’s local government chairmen will join him in his new party.
Twenty-three members of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, led by Speaker Abraham Ngobere, supported his choice.
There were ten lawmakers in the meeting. The Assembly now has 24 members, including 20 from the PDP, three from the All Progressives Congress (APC), and one from the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).
The PDP is dealing with internal leadership problems as a result of the wave of defections.
During the weekend, National Chairman Umar Damagum and certain members of the National Working Committee put some important party officials on hold. These included National Secretary Samuel Anyanwu and National Organizing Secretary Umar Bature.
Anyanwu’s side quickly responded by saying that Damagum, National Publicity Secretary Debo Ologunagba, and a few others were suspended.
Anyanwu’s side, led by acting National Chairman Abdulrahman Mohammed, returned to the party’s national secretariat today, while Damagum and his followers did not.
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